Taken
by Megz McGizzle
Summary: As a new term at Wharton Academy begins for Alan and Fermat, Alan finds his new roommate to be kind of strange. However, he doesn't realize that that boy's past and his own are linked together, and that link could cost Alan his life.
1. A New Roommate

**Sorry for the sucky summary. Hopefully it will make sense as this goes along. Message me if it doesn't. And please leave reviews, they're always so helpful to me:)**

**Now, on with my next story!**

* * *

Alan sighed as he packed the last of his books into his backpack. Summer was finally over, and he and Fermat- much to the disgust of both- once again had to return to Wharton Academy.

Yawning, Alan glanced at the clock. 5:00 AM. He wished he could be sleeping like his brothers still were, though knew he had to leave early enough to make it to the Academy in time for check-in. Sighing, he picked up his backpack and duffle bag and trudged towards the family room to meet his father and Penny.

When he arrived, he saw Penny and his father deep in conversation, each drinking tea. However, when they heard him enter, they turned and smiled. "Ready to go?" his father asked, setting down his cup, Penny following suit not long after.

Alan merely grunted a yes tiredly in return, flopping into the chair next to him.

"Where's Fermat? Parker's still waiting in the car, poor chap," Penny asked cheerily. How she could be so energetic and cheery at such an early hour was beyond him.

Just then, as though on cue, Fermat came stumbling into the room, backpack in one hand and duffle bag in the other. "S-s-sorry I'm late!" he stuttered, adjusting his glasses once he'd set down his bags.

"Quite alright," Penny assured with a smile. "Now, are you gentlemen ready to go?"

Both of the boys sighed. "I suppose we have no choice," Alan remarked sarcastically.

Jeff laughed. "I'll call you, and I'll make sure your room doesn't get totally trashed this time," he assured with a grin.

Alan shuddered. The last time he'd come home from school, he found his room painted bright pink and everything else promptly replaced with fuzzy stuffed animals and bright, plastic jewelry and dolls. It took him a good week to get his brothers to give him his regular possessions back.

"Thanks Dad," Alan sighed with a slight chuckle. "Tell the others bye for me. And I'll talk to you soon." Hugging his Dad, he smiled at the older man before picking up his bags and following Penny and Fermat, who'd just walked out the patio door.

Jeff smiled and waved until Alan disappeared from around the corner. A frown then began to replace the smile, his brows furrowing together. Something told him this term would be different from the others, and not in a pleasant way. However, he merely pushed the thought from his mind and trudged toward his bedroom.

* * *

It was nearly 11:00 in the island's time when Penny and the boys arrived at Wharton, though it was already 3:00 at the Academy. After a brief farewell to Penny, the boys quickly left to find their room assignments and schedules. To both their delight, they shared the same room, along with another friend from school, and one other boy they didn't know. As far as their schedules, they shared only PE together, Fermat otherwise being in mostly higher classes than Alan.

Because they'd missed lunch, they went directly to their dorm. There they found their two roommates, already unpacking their things. When they heard Alan and Fermat enter, they immediately turned to see who it was.

"Hey, Alan and Fermat, cool!" the first boy, who was sitting on the top bunk on the right greeted. He was just as he'd been the last year, though perhaps a bit taller. He had bright red hair and was just above Alan's height. "Long time no see! How've you guys been?"

"Hey Andrew," Alan replied with a smile. "We're good. I miss summer already though."

Chuckling a bit at his own remark, Alan turned to face the other boy who had just finished unpacking on the lower bunk to the right, under Andrew's bunk. He had jet black hair and a serious glaze in his eyes, though his expression held a smile. Alan extended his hand, and the boy immediately took it. Before Alan could even say his name though, the boy interrupted.

"Alan Tracy, I presume?" he said smoothly, more of a statement than a question. Before Alan could even reply to that, the boy again interrupted. "I'm Jeff Sattler. I'm a grade older than you guys but since there weren't any upperclassmen rooms left, I decided to stay here. Hope you don't mind."

Though the boy seemed nice enough, Alan somehow found him a bit odd. However, he just smiled and shook the boy's hand. "Nice to meet you," he said uncertainly.

The boy didn't say anything more, but stared at Alan. His eyes seemed to suddenly harden a bit, and he seemed as though he were scrutinizing Alan. Uncomfortably, Alan released his grip of the boy's hand and moved to grab his things, setting them on the top bunk on the left. As he began to unpack, Alan shifted nervously as he continued to feel Jeff's gaze on him. Finally turning to face him, Alan asked, "Why are you staring?"

Jeff seemed as though he'd snapped out of a trance. He thought for a moment, his mind obviously still wandering a bit, but finally answered, "Nothing. You just seem familiar somehow."

"Oh," Alan said curiously, and found he had nothing else to say to that remark. Turning, he began finishing his unpacking.

* * *

"That guy's weird," Alan said bluntly about Jeff as he and Fermat walked through the halls to dinner.

"H-how is he w-w-weird?" Fermat asked, staring oddly at Alan. "He seemed n-nice."

Alan paused, thinking over what happened earlier. "I don't know, just something about him bothers me. He looks kind of familiar, but I can't place it."

"W-well I think you're just im-m-imagining things," Fermat said frankly.

Alan frowned, though didn't say anything in return. _Maybe I am being paranoid? I should just give the guy a chance._

"S-s-so did you hear about that c-cool rescue your b-b-brothers went on this morning?" Fermat suddenly asked.

Alan sighed. "Yeah, another earthquake. I already miss being out there with them."

Suddenly, Jeff stepped in front of Alan and Fermat from around a corner, causing both of them to stop. "Hey, Alan," he said with a small smile, though his eyes still held the angry gleam in them. "Would you mind helping me out with my laptop? It's acting strange. I left it in the dorm, so can you meet me there?"

"Uh…" Alan said confused, taking this sudden request in as fast as he could, though the strangeness of it caught him off guard. "Sure, I'll be there in a few minutes," he said warily.

Jeff smiled. "Thanks, see ya!" he said, quickly walking off towards the dorms.

"Told ya," Alan said, glancing at Fermat with a strange look, though Fermat only sighed and walked away.

* * *

Not long later, Alan rounded the corner to the dorm rooms. Turning the key, he opened the door to his room, though found no one in it. Stepping into the room to look around, Alan was suddenly blinded as something hard smashed against the back of his skull. Pain quickly overcame him and he immediately fell into darkness.

* * *

**A/N:  
Ok, sorry that was so short. It was just a last minute decision in the middle of the night. Hope you liked it, please review:)**

**Megz**


	2. New Information

**Wow, 9 reviews for the first chapter alone! That has to be some sort of record for my stories. Haha but thanks guys, I appreciate more than you can imagine! Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint anyone. But please, please, please keep reviewing! It helps me to understand what I need to work on and if anyone even likes how it's going at all. So thanks everyone. Now, on with the story:) PS- As Jeff Tracy and Jeff Sattler obviously have the same first name, I'll simply be calling Jeff Sattler, Sattler; and I'll be calling Jeff Tracy, Jeff. OK? Just so no one's confused. :) **

* * *

Scott yawned widely as he entered the living room, closely followed by Gordon and Virgil. Though it was only 8:00 in the evening, they were still extremely tired as they'd just returned from a rescue for a volcanic eruption in Hawaii . It had taken nearly 4 hours to evacuate the area and clean up the remaining damage.

Flopping onto the nearby couch, Virgil also let out a large yawn. Looking down at his uniform, he frowned as he realized he was nearly completely covered in black soot. "Damn it, I always hate messy rescues…" he trailed off, wiping lazily at the front of his uniform.

Gordon laughed, letting himself fall into the recliner across the room. "Always the neat freak, aren't ya?" he snickered, receiving a scowl from Virgil in return.

"Don't mind him, Virg," Scott laughed, slumping into the couch next to Virgil, "He just doesn't care because he's used to being such a slob."

"Hey!" Gordon snapped. "I resent that. My room's not _that_ messy."

"Really?" Virgil said, now laughing himself. "Then how come you haven't been able to find your old baseball cards lately?"

"Or your old chemistry book?" Scott continued.

"Or your scooter?"

"Or your good pair of sneakers?

"Or-"

"Ok, ok!" Gordon finally snapped. "I get it! Can we move on?"

Virgil and Scott only glanced at each other and snickered. Gordon was about to snap at them once more, though he stopped when he noticed his father coming into the room.

"Hey, boys!" Jeff said brightly as he walked in. "How'd it go?"

"Fine," Scott affirmed. "All of the residents were evacuated safely and we got the damage to a sufficient minimum, though a lot of buildings were damaged before we could get there."

Jeff nodded in approval, and sat down in another chair across the room. "So have any of you heard from Alan lately? I tried calling his watch earlier but he didn't answer."

Scott frowned, and as he looked at his brothers, he noticed they did too. It wasn't like Alan to have his watch removed for very long, if at all.

"He probably just took it off when he went to hang out with friends so they wouldn't get suspicious when you called," Gordon offered.

Jeff frowned a bit as well, and sighed. "I suppose that's true. I can try calling him tomorrow morning, I guess. Anyway, you boys need to go get washed up so we can eat, Kyrano has been cooking up a storm and I'm about starved!"

The boys quickly nodded, and just as they were about to rush off to their respective rooms, the sound of the phone ringing quickly stopped them. They each groaned, the same thing running through their heads. _Not _another_ mission tonight…_

Jeff, seeing his sons' sudden lack of enthusiasm, shrugged, wordlessly saying to them, _that's our job, sorry!_ He then walked swiftly over to the phone, and frowned as he realized it was Alan's school. Picking it up, he answered with a brisk, "Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Tracy?" a man on the other end began. "This is Headmaster Garron at Wharton Academy."

"Yes, hello, sir," Jeff said, inwardly groaning to himself. What had Alan done now? "Is there something wrong?" he continued, stepping lightly into what he already knew to be some sort of bad news. Looking over at his sons, he saw quizzical expressions on each of their faces. As Jeff quickly mouthed the words 'Alan's headmaster' to them, their puzzled looks suddenly faded to groaning disbelief.

"Um, yes there is…" the headmaster started, sighing deeply before continuing. "I'm really not sure how to tell you this, Mr. Tracy, but…" He stopped, leaving Jeff very tense.

"Sir?" Jeff urged.

The headmaster once again sighed. "Mr. Tracy…We believe Alan has gone missing."

Jeff stood rooted to the ground, unable to comprehend what he'd just heard. His muscles became so nearly unresponsive that he almost dropped the phone. "E-excuse me?" he stumbled with his words.

"Neither Alan or his roommate have shown up in hours, and neither can be found anywhere around the grounds," the headmaster told Jeff sadly. "I'm sorry, but we're doing all we can."

Jeff nodded quietly, almost to confirm to himself that he was truly hearing this. "Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can."

Setting the phone down on the receiver, Jeff stiffly turned to face his sons, the fear and worry in his eyes startling them.

"Dad..?" Virgil asked carefully.

Jeff paused for a moment, before taking a shaky breath. "Alan…Alan's gone missing."

None of his son's could speak, the contrast between what they'd been expecting and what they'd just heard alarming them. They all stood in fearful silence, trying to let the words sink in for a moment before Jeff finally said quietly, "Come on, we should go help with the search." Solemnly, his sons all nodded and together they left for their regular jet's silo.

* * *

Groaning in pain as he began to wake from his forced sleep, Alan moved to feel the back of his head where it burned with the most pain, though found his hands were restrained behind his back. Gasping with pain as the bonds roughly wore away at his wrists, he opened his eyes, blinking a few times to try to distinguish where he was, though all he saw around him was a dark concrete room with no windows and little light from a small, flickering light bulb above his head. Even in the dim light, though, he could see that his arms had been harshly bruised, and he could feel the same for a good portion of his body. Behind the small wooden chair he was seated on, Alan soon realized his ankles were tied as well against the two front legs of the chair.

Struggling against his bonds, Alan began to panic as he tried to find a way out. He figured there was a door somewhere behind him, though he couldn't turn his neck around far enough to see it. However, not long later, he heard the door open and footsteps coming closer. Suddenly, someone grabbed a fistful of his hair and forcefully snapped his head backwards, causing Alan to cry out in pain.

"Well, well, well," Alan heard a familiar voice mock. "Look who finally decided to wake up."

Alan's eyes widened in shock. Looking upwards, Alan tried to see who was holding onto his hair, though he couldn't see their face at the angle they were holding him. However, he still knew the icy voice. "Sattler?"

The man suddenly wrenched his head backwards even harder, Alan screaming in pain once more. "Well aren't you just a little smartass?" Sattler growled.

"Sattler," Alan gasped as the odd angle of his neck continued to cause him pain. "What's going on? Where are we?"

Chuckling, the man let go of Alan's hair, stepping around to face him directly. "That, Alan," he started, the same evil gleam in his eyes as before, "is for me to know only." Stepping back for a moment, he crossed his arms and gazed at the floors as he thought deeply for a moment. "Now," he began again, raising his gaze from the floor to Alan. "Think hard for a second. Does my last name sound familiar?"

Alan frowned. "Yeah, you told me your last name the day we met at Wharton's…"

That, apparently, was the wrong answer. Sattler's pensive countenance suddenly faded to an annoyed glare, and raising his hand, he swiftly brought it down upon Alan's cheek. "Don't mess with me, Tracy!" he yelled.

Muffling another scream of pain, Alan clenched his jaw as his cheek smarted where he'd just been hit. Now he was truly scared. He somehow knew Sattler was odd, but this? This was a far cry from the boy he'd met just a while ago. Suddenly, a thought struck him. _Wait…how long have I been out?_ Wearily facing Sattler, who had returned to his contemplating- this time with the glare still present- and asked wearily, "How long was I unconscious?"

Sattler looked at him quickly, annoyance plain on his face. "A good 6 hours you little wimp, it's already midnight," he growled. "But don't try and avoid the question, Tracy! Where have you heard 'Sattler' before? I know you have." Though it seemed nearly impossible to Alan, Sattler's expression and tone became even darker.

Alan raced through his memories. He knew it did sound familiar, though no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't place it. "I…I don't know," he finally said quietly.

Roaring with anger, Sattler once again pulled his hand back and struck Alan across the face. "I'll tell you where, you little bastard," he snarled angrily. "Remember George Sattler? He was my father! And you and your brothers left him to _die_ during an avalanche five years ago!"

Alan stared at Sattler in horror. He knew who his family was? How could that be possible?

As he saw Alan's shocked expression, Sattler couldn't help but laugh coldly. "Yeah, that's right, _Tracy_," he sneered. "I know your little secret; I knew it a long time ago."

Alan gaped for a moment longer, before finally recovering. "But…but how?" he muttered, fearful that he'd discovered where their base- and, subsequently, their home was.

A slight smirk played across Sattler's face. "I had a little help…" Turning to the door, he nodded, and Alan soon heard another pair of footsteps coming up from behind him. As the second man walked around to the front of the chair to face Alan, Alan gasped in horror.

"Hello, again, Alan." The Hood said with a cold smile.

Alan stared dumbfounded, the man he feared most in the world- now obviously escaped from jail- was standing directly in front of him, next to the man who probably hated him nearly as much as the Hood did. Terror raced through every one of his veins, panic beginning to take over. "Wh-what do you want with me?" he asked, stuttering with fear. He'd learned to stay strong in the face of anyone who'd tried to target International Rescue or disrupt their rescues, though after the incident in the Bank of London, Alan couldn't suppress his fear of the Hood.

The Hood chuckled. "We'll discuss this later," he derided. "For now, we need to move you somewhere…_safer_."

As both Sattler and the Hood moved closer to pick up the chair from either side, Alan began to panic even further. "Come near me and I'll scream," he threatened, though a hint of fear still glimmered through his words.

Sattler frowned deeply. Again, he raised his arm as though to hit him, and Alan braced himself for the sharp impact. However, just before Sattler brought his hand down upon Alan, the Hood stopped him.

"Don't," he reprimanded the younger man sharply. "We don't want him beaten too badly or they'll never give us our demands." Alan was about to question what he'd meant by 'our demands', though was cut off as the Hood continued. "We can use this," he said, pulling out a capped syringe from his cloak. As he pulled off the cap, Alan's eyes widened in horror.

"No! Let me go!" he cried, struggling uselessly against his bonds. Sattler suddenly yanked his head to the left, and Alan cried out in pain as he felt the sharp jab of the needle entering his neck. He continued to struggle even as he felt the needle pull out from his neck, though he soon felt a wave of drowsiness hit him. Though he fought it, darkness soon began washing over him.


	3. Contact

**Alright, so I just have to say how sorry I am for making you wait so long. I've had a lot going on this summer (especially learning to drive, WHOOT! Haha.) and haven't had a lot of time, and I've had major writer's-block lately which sucks. I also regret to say that my next chapter won't be up for at least another week, because I was talked into another beach trip with my grandparents and will be gone from Monday to Friday. BUT, I just bought a new notebook so I'll be able to write while I'm there, though I can't post it. So, hopefully if my grandma doesn't make me do too much knitting, I'll be able to get a full chapter written there. lol. Sorry about the hiatus, no choice. Hope you enjoy this chapter though:) **

* * *

As Jeff continued to pace back and forth in the small office he and his sons had been herded into when they first arrived at Wharton's, Scott felt the helplessness radiating throughout the room, and he knew that his brothers felt it as well. They were told to stay there until further word arrived, and, as Tracys , were having a very difficult with it. No word had been heard from Alan for hours, or from his roommate Jeff Sattler. As the minutes continued to drift by, the tension steadily grew. Finally, there was a brisk knock at the door, sending each of the men to their feet. The door opened quickly, and a tall, burly man with sharp eyes and a blue uniform stepped in. 

"Any news?" Jeff immediately jumped straight to the point, shaking the man's hand briefly. From the corner of his eye, Jeff could see his three sons becoming very tense.

Lowering his gaze, the man fiddled with a CD case in his hands for a moment before extending it to Jeff. "There was a note attached to this, saying it was meant for your eyes only, so we haven't viewed it yet. We believe it's from your son's kidnapper, or, kidnappers. We're not sure yet."

Jeff swallowed hard, reluctantly taking the CD case. He figured Alan had been kidnapped, though he still on to some small hope that he was still alright. Though it was a bit foolish and unrealistic to believe, Jeff had still found it better to think of than the truth of reality. However, now that he held the proof in his hands, there was nothing he could do to deny that his son was in horrible danger. Sighing shakily, he gave a weak smile to the officer. "Thank you," he said hoarsely to the man. The officer merely nodded, sympathy written in his normally sharp eyes, and left without another word.

Jeff and his sons stared at the CD case for a few long moments, afraid to view it in fear of what they'd see. Finally, Virgil sighed, breaking the morbid silence. "We…We'd better play it…" he muttered, his voice shaky.

Nodding, Jeff wearily walked over to the small computer on the desk, slipping the disk into the slot on the side of the computer. Each of the men held their breaths as the CD loaded, their eyes glued to the screen. A young man's face suddenly appeared, a smirk sitting across his face. Jeff immediately recognized the boy as Jeff Sattler from the pictures the police had shown them, though he was confused when he didn't see the attackers anywhere on the screen.

"Hello, Tracy," Sattler chuckled slightly, though his voice dripped with hate. It was then that Jeff realized the gravity of the situation, and why Sattler had gone missing along with Alan. He was the attacker. The realization hit Jeff in the gut like an icy punch, and his eyes widened in shock.

"By now I'm sure you've obviously realized your son's gone missing," Sattler continued, the smirk only growing. "And I suppose you'd like to see him, wouldn't you?" Stepping aside, Sattler revealed a half unconscious Alan tied to a chair behind him, head lowered and audibly groaning in pain as he struggled to stay awake. Jeff could only stare in horror at his youngest, whose injuries were clearly visible, even through the small video screen. His shirt was torn in multiple places, blood dripping from the skin beneath each tear. Bruises covered much of his body, and his lip was cut and swollen. The worst injury Jeff could make out was a horrible gash that lined the side of Alan's face, blood caking along the gash and down his neck.

Next to Jeff, his sons let out cries and growls of anger at the sight of their youngest brother. However, they were quickly cut off as Sattler laughed once more and moved towards Alan. They each had to bite back more screams of rage as he gripped Alan's hair, jerking his head backwards and making Alan cry out weakly in pain. Jeff could hardly bear to watch as Sattler took out a small blade, running it along Alan's cheek. As blood ran down the side of his face, Alan whimpered slightly in pain, clenching his eyes shut until the blade finally lifted from his skin.

"That son of a-," Scott snarled in fury, though was yet again cut off by Sattler's recording.

"Now, listen to me very carefully, Mr. Tracy," Sattler growled, stepping towards the camera and re-sheathing his bloody knife. "My demands are quite simple. Either you announce to the world on a live broadcast that you're permanently shutting down International Rescue, or…" Pausing for a moment, Sattler glanced back at Alan, his malicious smirk returning. "I'll kill your son on live TV for the world to see."

Jeff was stunned. How had he found out? It was impossible! Now, not only did he have to worry about his youngest son, but the rest of his family's safety as well.

"No, Dad…" a weak voice was heard, though Jeff realized it wasn't from any of his sons in the room he was in, but his youngest in the recording. Also surprised, Sattler stepped aside to see what Alan was trying to say. "Dad, don't do it…Th-the world needs you…Don't give that up…for me…" he said through gasps of pain, trying to keep himself from wincing from the multiple lacerations on his body. Sattler didn't seem pleased, and he briskly walked up to Alan, slamming the back of his hand against Alan's cut cheek. Alan didn't make a sound, though he was clearly in pain as he bent over gasping.

Turning back to the camera, Sattler glared as he continued, "Make your choice, and quick, Tracy. I plan to either see a broadcast or make my own at 12:00 sharp, _tonight_. Take your pick." And with that, the video cut out. Jeff continued to stare, still in a state of shock, and praying that Alan hadn't suffered much more abuse since the CD had been made. Based on the thick silence of the room, Jeff also mused that his sons were just as shocked as he was. They remained in the heavy silence until John suddenly burst into the room, obviously out of breath. His clothes were messy and clearly rushed, as he'd just returned from Thunderbird 5 and had flown over in one of the Tracy Enterprises jets, having been forced to change while the jet was on autopilot. Panting, John immediately became worried by his brothers' and father's worried expressions. "Wha…what happened?" he asked through gasps.

Quickly exchanging glances with his three other sons, Jeff sighed. Standing up, Jeff motioned for his second oldest to sit in the office chair where he'd just been, John hesitantly complying. As Jeff hit play once more, the others looked away, unable to bear seeing the youngest Tracy in such a condition once more. As the sound of Alan whimpering filled the room, each of the men cringed. The sound of his tired and weak voice also tore at their hearts. A few moments later, the video was once again finished, and a fifth member of the family remained in shock. As the others had, John continued to stay glued to the screen, until he turned shakily to his father.

"Wh-what are you going to do?" he asked quietly.

Jeff paused, keeping his gaze lowered. Finally, he answered, "I…I don't know John…" Once again, the room was thrust into silence. However, John then continued.

"You…you don't _know_?" he almost screamed, his voice hoarse. His brothers looked up at him in surprise, it being very uncommon for John to ever raise his voice.

Jeff also looked up, startled at his son's sudden burst. "John…" he trailed off for a moment, unsure of what to say. "John, you know as much as I do that the world depends on International Rescue…"

John stared at his father in disbelief, unable to form words for a full minute. "The world? Dad, Alan _is_ our world; you should know that better than all of us!" John was full-on screaming now, standing up to face his father. "How can we just turn our backs on him? He's our brother, your _son_!"

While the others remained silent and pensive, Jeff pursed his lips into a thin line, lost within deep thought. After a few minutes of silence, he nodded. "You're right, John," he said quietly, his voice hardly audible. Turning to face John, he gave a tired, yet determined smile. "We'll get your brother back, I promise."

* * *

As Alan sat alone in a new, dark room, he couldn't help but let fresh tears roll down his face. He knew he'd probably get mocked and hit by Sattler for acting like such a baby, but he couldn't care anymore. He was hungry from over a day and a half without food, aching horribly all over his body from cuts and bruises, and tired beyond belief. But worst of all, he knew his family wasn't coming for him. How could they? They couldn't just abandon the world and everyone who needed help. No, they wouldn't do it. He wasn't important enough. Lowering his head, Alan let out a sob as the words kept playing over and over in his head. 

_They aren't coming…_


	4. Double Crossed

**Ok, so I'm waaay sorry for the long break, I hate doing that to you guys. But I'll try and catch up and start getting back into the swing of things. Hopefully you'll like this chapter! Just wondering if my writing's very good, though. Yes? No? Somewhere in the middle? Pretty please with sugar on top, tell me! Thanks to everyone for the awesomely-awesome reviews:) **

* * *

Alan didn't notice how long he was left alone by Sattler. He didn't notice when he began drifting off. He didn't notice that he wasn't dreaming. He didn't even notice that he'd fallen asleep at all, and that he was blissfully floating in a painless black darkness. That was, until he was sharply woken up by a cold hand slamming against his face for the millionth time. Waking him back into the harsh reality of his current position, pain coursed through him once more from multiple spots around his body. 

"Well good morning, Sleeping Beauty," the same cold voice mocked, as though feigning cheeriness.

Alan tried to lift his head from its current resting spot on his chest, though found he was too weak to lift it more than a few inches. His vision was also blurred, and he felt as though he were going to pass out once more.

"Nuh, uh, uh, Alan!" Sattler disapproved warningly, grabbing Alan's hair once more and lifting his head. "We have a big day ahead of us. We get to move you again! How's that sound?"

Alan cringed at the iciness that seeped through words. Only a monster could enjoy something as horrible as this. As Alan raised his still blurry vision, he shuddered when he saw the Hood leaning against the wall. "Sattler, do we really need to do that? What would be the point in that?" he asked disapprovingly. "We can't keep putting him out in the open."

Sattler let go of Alan's head, letting it fall slightly, and turned to face the Hood with a glare on his face. "Listen, I'm the one that broke you out of jail and paid you to help me with this little expedition, so you go along with what I say, got it?"

"And if I _don't_?" the Hood growled.

Sattler looked to the ground, as though thinking hard, though Alan could see that he was feigning it. "Well then," Sattler muttered calmly, "I guess we'll just have to change my plans." Faster than Alan could comprehend, Sattler suddenly spun, and in one single motion, pulled out a gun and pulled the trigger.

Both the Hood's eyes and Alan's widened. In the center of the Hood's bright red kimono just over his stomach, a bright crimson spot soiled the silk. Glancing down at the spot, the Hood put a shaky hand over it, his face visibly paling. "H-How could…" the Hood trailed off as he glanced up at Sattler, shocked. Though his shock suddenly faded to rage as his eyes began turning red. "You…you little-!" However, before he could use his telekinesis on the younger man, Sattler pulled the trigger once more, sending a second bullet at the Hood, though this time it buried itself within the man's heart. With a gasp of pain, the Hood clenched his eyes shut and stumbled to the floor, where he sat silent and motionless.

Alan felt sick as he watched the man who he'd feared most since his attack on his family fall to the ground, killed by another. And unfortunately, that same man was his captor. Trying to hold back waves of nausea, he glanced up at Sattler, who had only slightly lowered the gun, his eyes still intently fixed upon the motionless figure on the ground. After a moment, he turned to look at Alan.

"Consider this a warning, Tracy," he muttered.

Alan swallowed hard, looking once more at the man lying on the floor. He was delivered from one monster, but he still remained in the hands of another.

* * *

Miles away, in the dim lights of the Tracy office, Jeff continued to pace as he'd done constantly since the news of his youngest having gone missing. At least it gave him something to do to get rid of his restless energy. But no matter what he did, he couldn't keep his mind off of Alan, or where he could possibly be. And no matter what he thought of to help find Alan, there was always something to contradict it. His first instinct was to check Alan's watch, though to his dismay, it had been found earlier by a police officer in his room, though luckily the officer had only believed it to be a simple watch. His sons also tried brainstorming, though again, nothing came to mind that could help them. 

Across the room from Jeff, Scott sat leaning over and stone-faced in one of the office chairs, his hands firmly grasped together, his mouth pressed against them while his elbows leaned on his knees. He took on an older appearance from the full worry, and had anyone walked in that did not know them, they may have assumed that Scott was Alan's father instead. But Jeff wouldn't be surprised anyway. Scott was not only a brother to each of the four younger Tracy's, but a second father. As the oldest, he'd always felt it was his responsibility to watch his younger brothers and make sure they were always safe. It was his blood duty and his passion as well. Jeff knew nothing could compare to how much Scott loved his brothers, and he knew this was taking a hard toll on his eldest son.

Not far from Scott, John sat staring out of one of the windows into the dark night, the moon reflecting peacefully across the gentle ocean, a cold contrast to how they were feeling at the moment. Jeff sighed as he felt sudden sympathy for John. Just a few days before Alan's disappearance, John and Alan had planned to go on a camping trip once Alan got a break from school. John and Alan hardly had any time to spend with one another, John always being on Thunderbird 5 and Alan always being at school. John felt he hardly knew his youngest brother, and decided to get to know him better once they both had time. But now John- and Jeff as well- were deathly scared that they would no longer have that time to spend.

Suddenly, the morose air was broken by Virgil and Gordon rushing in, both clearly out of breath. Just over an hour ago, they'd been sent to help stop a wildfire in Venezuela, and were now both covered from head to toe in soot, though neither cared at the moment.

"Any…news?" Gordon said through his gasping. Both he and Virgil had run from the silos, eager to hear any updates that had come. However, Jeff silently shook his head. Both of the boys sighed, Virgil going to lay on a couch while Gordon simply leaned against the wall. Jeff, John, and Scott then silently resumed their previous positions, returning to the dark silence.

Then, a few minutes later, the atmosphere was once again smashed as a bumbling Brains came stumbling into the room, out of breath just as Gordon and Virgil had been. "M-M-Mr. T-Tracy!" he stuttered through gathered breaths. "I…I think I-I-I've found A-Alan!"

As though a bomb had suddenly gone off, the five Tracy's rushed to their feet in the same instant. Jeff was the first to rush to Brains, a new hope gleaming in his eyes. "You actually found him? How?" asked anxiously.

Stumbling with a small device in his hand, Brains held it up. "I-I installed a n-n-new prototype tracker i-i-in each of th-the boys' I-International Rescue p-p-pins, s-so unless i-i-it's gotten w-wet or s-s-smashed, Alan's sh-sh-should be working t-too!"

Jeff beamed, the dawning hope growing with each second passing, his heart steadily going faster and faster. "Great job, Brains!" he exclaimed, patting the scientist on the shoulder. "Now, where is he?"

Adjusting his glasses, Brains looked down to the small device in his hands, and pressed a small blue button. As he did so, words began flashing onto the screen. "I-It looks like h-h-he's a f-few miles south of Wh-Wharton's, but h-he's moving east at about f-fourty miles an h-h-hour, so I'm g-guessing he's being taken b-b-by car."

Jeff frowned, but nodded. "Come on boys," he said, motioning towards the door. "We'll go follow them in a car so they don't suspect anything. Brains, you keep an eye on Alan's position and keep relaying that to us."

He started to follow his sons toward the door, when Brains stuttered, "W-wait, Mr. Tracy! Th-there's one more thing…"

Impatiently, Jeff stopped and turned, quietly awaiting an explanation on why his plans had suddenly been delayed.

Swallowing nervously, Brains fumbled over to the desk where he picked up the TV remote. Clicking the television to life, he immediately switched it to a nearby channel, where a small red-haired news woman with a microphone was talking about their latest story.

"As you can see here," the woman continued with her story, standing in front of a large jail wall where police dogs and officers searching frantically nearby, "Major damage was to both the inner and outer security walls Tuesday when he escaped, and we've gotten reports that over 15 guards were hurt in this escape, though luckily none were killed. Police have asked anyone who sees this man to _not_ confront him under any circumstances, because he is armed and very dangerous."

Jeff paled. Looking at the corner of the screen, a picture of the escaped man glared back at him. He never thought he'd see those same glowering eyes ever again, though there they were, gazing down at them from the television screen. _How could I have not heard about this sooner?_

"According to reports," the woman went on, holding up another copy of the man's picture, "the man is simply known as 'the Hood'."

"Oh God…" Scott muttered next to Jeff.

* * *

Shifting once more as he lay on the backseat of the musty-smelling car Sattler had forced him into, he winced slightly as his bonds wore away even further at his wrists. Alan began to wonder bitterly if they'd be able to see his wrist bones by the time they took the bonds off. _If_ they took them off, that is. Though he wished he could hope his family would come to his rescue, he knew they wouldn't. Why would they? Pushing back the tears that threatened to fall, Alan tried to move his forehead against the seat as to move away the blindfold that had been placed over his eyes, though it stayed firmly in place. 

The silence they had been sitting in for over an hour resumed, Sattler every now and then coughing, the only break to the silence. They hardly stopped at all, so Alan assumed they were out near the woods somewhere. _Shit,_ Alan thought coldly, _even if I get out, it would take me forever to find someone to help me…_

Finally, Alan could no longer take the silence, the long uncertain silence. "Sattler," he groaned weakly, "Why are you doing this..?"

Sattler scoffed. "What, you forgot already, Tracy?" he growled. "I want revenge for my father's death, you little smartass."

"I wasn't even old enough back then, I couldn't have been there," Alan almost pleaded. "Why are you doing this to me?" Though he thanked God Sattler hadn't chosen one of his brothers to go through this, Alan couldn't ignore the pain he had, and the confusion of why it was him.

Scoffing again, Sattler replied after a moment, "It's not you I want revenge on, Alan," he said icily. "I want your brothers and father to pay for the pain they've caused me. You were just the easiest to get to and the most vulnerable spot for your family."

Another few moments passed by, with neither of the men speaking. Finally, Alan continued weakly, "I know how you're feeling, Jeff…"

Sattler stayed quiet for a moment, though after a moment of thinking, he suddenly turned off to the side of the road and stopped abruptly. Getting out of the car, he wrenched open the door next to Alan's head and roughly grabbed Alan by the shoulders, dragging him out of the car and across the road and slammed him into a rocky cliffside that lined the road. As Alan cried out in pain, Sattler ripped off his blindfold.

"How the _hell_ can you know what I'm going through?" Sattler screamed in Alan's face, his face turning a nasty shade of red. "How can you, little rich boy Tracy know how I'm feeling? You have a billionaire father and a wonderful family behind you, while everything gets handed to you on a silver platter! My father was the _only_ family I had, and he had to struggle and work his way through three jobs just to get me into a better school! And now he's gone! How the _hell_ do you think you could compare to what I'm going through?"

Alan lowered his gaze, both for slight sympathy for this boy and the pain that rushed through his back, though the pain washed away the former. "I can't say I've gone through a lot of what you've been through…But I also lost my mother to an avalanche…I know it's hard," he said quietly, raising his gaze back to Sattler's whose eyes had widened slightly, taken back a bit by what Alan was saying. "But you have to just try and move on. Not everyone can be saved, no matter how much we want them to be…"

Sattler seemed stunned. He stared at Alan for a moment, causing Alan to once again lower his gaze. For a brief moment, Alan thought Sattler was going to leave him on the side of the road and drive away. However, Sattler suddenly tightened his grip on Alan, and returned the blindfold over Alan's eyes. Dragging him back across the road, Sattler shoved him into the car and slammed the door, returning to the driver's seat.

"You'd better pray your brothers are quick with their news broadcast," Sattler growled quietly. "It's already 10:30."

Sighing, Alan buried his face against the seat cushion.


	5. Escape

**Yay, I finally got a new chapter done! WHEW and it only took me, what, 2 months? Gahh. I'm really sorry about that. But life has just gotten so out of hand lately...I mean in the last month alone my boyfriend's dad died, I got signed up for the PSATs (parents thought it would be a good idea), homecoming is coming up this weekend (did I mention it's the same day as the PSATs?), and about a week ago I found out my grandpa has cancer. So...yeah. I'm sorry, but life just hasn't dealt me any good cards lately, so I haven't had the time or energy, or even really the enthusiasm to write much lately. Hopefully I'll be able to write more soon though. Hope you enjoy, please review!**

* * *

"Wakey-wakey, Tracy!" Sattler said with his usual fake kindness, accompanied by a sharp smack against the face. Alan woke with a start, having hardly noticed that he'd even fallen asleep at all. His body burned with pain from the hit, each nerve striking against another until each cut and bruise smarted.

"It's time for breakfast, sunshine!" Sattler jeered, holding up a single piece of dry toast, which looked old and stale. He held it in front of Alan's mouth, waiting expectantly for him to eat it. However, Alan turned his head away in defiance, though he knew he wouldn't last much longer without the slight piece of bread.

Sattler's feigned smile quickly faded to a scowl, and he tossed down the toast. Raising his hand, he slammed his fist harshly against Alan's chest, causing Alan to cough and gasp violently. "Why do you have to defy me every time, you little shit? I could kill you whenever I want, or I could just sit here and torture you 'til you finally die! So you'd better start shaping up or you won't get to see the light of morning." Straightening his posture, he glanced down at his watch. "Actually, it looks like your family hasn't made their broadcast yet…So I guess you should start thinking about your final words, because it's already 11:45."

* * *

"So you're sure Alan has his pin?" Gordon asked for the thousandth time, wary that they were only being led farther from their brother, though the tracker said otherwise. They sped down the road in their father's old 1960 Thunderbird, Jeff trying to stay as close as he could to the speed limit. 

"Yeah, I'm like 99 sure," John assured from the front passenger's seat next to Jeff. "He told me he always keeps it in his pocket, for good luck or something."

There was a slight pause in the car. All 5 men were thinking the same thing. _He's going to need it…_

"Hey, they've stopped!" Virgil suddenly exclaimed, making both Gordon and Scott who were sitting on either side of him jump nearly to through the top of the car in surprise. "It looks like they pulled off the road…just a few miles ahead!"

"Do you know what road?" Jeff asked sternly, his eyes focused harshly on the road, though the worry was still obvious behind the stony expression.

"No…it looks like it's an unmarked road, maybe a dirt one, I'm not sure…but it's the only road on the left for quite a ways, so we should be able to spot it." Virgil stated, watching the marker on the screen with devoted concentration.

Nodding, Jeff pressed the gas pedal slightly harder, their speed gently growing as they went. None of the men spoke, the worry of Alan eliminating all other thought.

A few minutes later, a small dirt road that led off into a small patch of forest appeared to their left, and with the confirmation from Virgil, Jeff quickly turned, though immediately pulled over, shutting off the engine.

"We need to go on foot from here," he ordered, taking out his gun from within his glove compartment. The boys still had their guns secured to their belts and swiftly drew theirs as well as they stood from the car, keeping them raised defensively. Their hearts beat rapidly in each of their chests, their quiet breath rising in churning clouds of steam in the deep darkness of the night.

With a few silent hand motions, Jeff signaled the boys into an organized formation, each within sight of the other. John and Gordon crouched behind two large pine trees to Jeff's left while Scott and Gordon hid on his right. Silently, they made their way through the thick patches of trees, guns still raised, until they finally spotted a large building, a rusty-looking Toyota car sitting patiently at the front.

Jeff was about to motion to begin moving towards the building when his watch suddenly beeped, sending him scrambling to answer. When he saw that it was Brains, he frowned in frustration. "What is it Brains?" he growled quietly, trying to stay unheard. He hastily turned down the volume of his watch before Brains continued.

"I-I'm sorry, M-M-Mr. Tracy, but I-I thought you sh-sh-should see this before y-you go in…" he stuttered, his eyes filled with anxiousness. The screen suddenly changed to a news broadcast, the same cheesy anchor woman as before standing in front of the camera reporting.

"If you're just tuning in," she said with a dramatic tone in her voice, "We have been getting reports that a body has been found in the warehouse behind me, and police have just identified the man as the escaped convict known as the Hood. There are no major leads at the moment, though they are working on finding a young man by the name of Jeff Sattler, who's been named a person of interest in this case."

Jeff's eyes widened. The Hood was...dead..? Refusing to see more, Jeff cut the transmission. _God, we really are facing a real-life monster…_Sighing, he leaned back on to the tree behind him, tilting his head back to rest on it for a moment. He considered leaving his sons out in the forest to keep them out of harm's way, though when he glanced to each of them, all four having confused and anxious faces as they waited for their instructions, he knew they'd never stay. Not when their youngest brother was in danger. They were Tracys, and a Tracy never turned their back on those they loved, or anyone else that needed their help for that matter.

Standing up staight once more, Jeff swallowed hard, then motioned to his sons.

* * *

"Alan…" a soft voice called, Alan hardly noticing it through the dark. "Alan…" it called again, though a bit louder this time. "Stay strong, Alan…for me…" Alan felt a warm kindness radiating from the voice, and for a split second he thought that he was 2 again, lying comfortably in his mother's arms. However, a harsher voice snapped him back into reality. 

"Alan!" Sattler growled, Alan groggily opening his eyes. He was tempted to reach for his cheek where it had just been struck, though made no movement to do so, already knowing it was useless.

"What is _this_?" Sattler screamed in Alan's face, holding Alan's IR pin even closer.

Alan frowned slightly- though it was difficult with his swollen eye- for he already knew what it was. "It's my International Rescue pin," he muttered. Shouldn't Sattler already know he was part of IR? So then why was he showing Alan the pin?

Slamming his fist against Alan's chest, which sent Alan into a fit of coughs and gasps, Sattler continued screaming, "I know _that_ you little smart-ass, I'm talking about _this_!" Shifting the pin slightly, Sattler pointed to a small, blinking red light on the back of the pin. "Is this a tracker?"

Alan frowned even further. True, he'd never inspected his pin- what would be the point? But he should have noticed _that _before. "I…I don't know, I haven't seen-."

"Don't lie to me!" Sattler bellowed, quickly pulling out his gun from his jacket and pointing it at Alan's forehead. "Is this a tracker or not, god-damnit!"

Alan's eyes- though with some difficulty- grew larger at the sight of the gun, and he quickly yelped, "I swear, I don't know!"

For the first time since the whole incident began, Alan saw a hint of fear and uncertainty in Sattler's eyes. Sattler, unsure of what to do next, repeatedly lowered and raised his gun, and Alan could see him trying to figure out his next move. Suddenly, Sattler became furious, with whom, Alan couldn't tell, but he could see it in the man's eyes. Fortunately, instead of striking Alan, Sattler paced for a moment, and instead took out his anger on a fire extinguisher box, the glass in the front shattering. Looking at the new blood on his hand without a hint of pain on his face, Sattler quickly turned and muttered, "I'll be right back." He then quickly left the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

Alan, thinking of what Sattler said about the pin, suddenly felt a jolt of hope- his family might be coming for him! Feeling a bit braver, Alan quickly glanced towards the broken glass window of the fire extinguisher box. How much time would he have? Glancing at the door, Alan made up his mind.

Leaning forward onto his feet, he had to bite back a cry of pain as his legs screamed in protest. He then gingerly made his way over to the box, and forced his extremely sore arms to go as high as they could. Holding back another scream of pain, he also had to fight back tears of agony as his arms inched slowly up. Finally, he got the rope over a jagged piece of glass and began shifting his wrists back and forth. After a few panic-filled moments, Alan finally heard the hearty snap of his bonds breaking. Sighing, he hastily took of the rest of the rope and gratefully rubbed each of his wrists, despite the pain. However, his relief was suddenly cut short and turned to fear as he heard the faint click of the lock.

But, in his fear came a sudden sense of anger. This man had no right to threaten his life or his family's, so why should he just let him? Alan wasn't going to let it go on without a fight. Picking up the fallen chair by the back, Alan quietly made his way over to the door and readied a strong blow for Sattler.

As the door swung open, Alan heartily swung the chair, which found its mark with a loud thump to Sattler's head. Watching his captor crumple to the floor, Alan dropped the chair and fled from the room as quickly as his body would allow. Not even sparing a glance back, Alan rushed down the dim hallway, his heart pulsing in his throat. Turning the corner, he ran a bit further before suddenly stopping. From ahead of him, he heard rapid footsteps rushing closer from behind another corner. Panic taking over him, he hastily turned down an adjoining hall and continued to run. However, a figure suddenly stepped out in front of him from behind a doorway, and Alan, having too much momentum to stop, collided with the figure, both crashing to the floor. Not sparing a moment, Alan struggled to get to his feet, though stopped when he heard a familiar voice say, "Alan?"

Shocked, Alan immediately began to calm down. "Scott?"

"Oh my God! Alan!" Scott exclaimed, quickly enveloping his youngest brother in a warm embrace. "I can't believe it! You're alive!"

"You…" Alan said meekly, "You thought I was dead?"

Scott paused, taking a shaky breath. "We didn't know…I mean, we all hoped you were alive, but…" He paused again, holding Alan closer. "But that doesn't matter now, you're ok!"

Groaning, Alan replied, "Define 'ok'…"

Smiling, Scott stood up, then turned and helped Alan to his feet. "That's the Alan I know!" Suddenly turning serious, however, he quickly asked, "So where's Sattler?"

"Right here," a cold voice said, and both Alan and Scott spun to see the unfeeling eyes of Jeff Sattler staring back at them. "Two Tracys now, huh? This'll be good." Then, two shots rang out into the air, and two bodies fell harshly to the ground.


	6. Waiting

**Gahh! Sorry it's been so long. Same old, same old for why I didn't update- family problems (though my grandpa's doin better, thanks for the support!!) and more piling homework. But I found a bit of a break last night to get this all written. Thank you to my amazing beta, criminally charmed! And thanks for all the reviews!! I was so surprised at how many I got! Thanks so much everyone. You're amazing. :)**

* * *

Two weeks. Five days. Three hours.

Gordon kept repeating the same thing over and over in his head, until a new hour passed and it became two weeks, five days, and four hours. He would have counted the minutes, had he not been so distracted.

_Two weeks, five days, and four hours, _he thought again miserably,_ since everything was shattered for us…_

It was now far past midnight, and the only light in the room was from a small table lamp next to Gordon's chair. Gordon tried to sit up straight and stay awake, though his head kept drooping to his chest. More than once he'd tried drinking coffee, though it had no effect on him. Suddenly, though, he was woken by the door sliding open, a just as tired looking John stepping in.

"You still up, Gordon?" John asked with a slight frown as he walked in.

"Couldn't sleep," Gordon mumbled a lie.

John could obviously tell his brother was lying, and his frown deepened. "Come on, Gords," John urged tiredly, resting his hand on Gordon's shoulder. "You need some sleep."

Gordon quickly shrugged John's hand off. "I don't need sleep. I want to talk to Alan."

John's face softened, and looked to the ground with a sigh. "Gordon, you know they can't hear you…"

Suddenly standing, Gordon yelled, "You don't know they can't! I bet they can hear everything we're saying right now! John, I never got to say goodbye to either of them! How do you think I feel? What if they-"

John looked taken aback, then a look of anger flickered over his features. "Don't you think I'm suffering here too? I didn't get to say goodbye to Alan-"

"But you got the chance to say goodbye to Scott! That's more than any of the rest of us can say!"

"You don't get it, do you Gordon? I didn't get to say goodbye to Scott- all I could tell him was to hold on, that everything would be ok, as I tried to keep him from…" John stopped, and sighed. "To keep him from dying." Sighing again, he sat in a nearby chair and buried his face in his hands.

Gordon felt a sudden rush of guilt. "John, listen," he said in a much calmer voice. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean those things."

Putting down his hands, though keeping his gaze lowered, John nodded. "I know," he said quietly, pausing to take a shaky breath. "It's been so hard…for all of us…"

Nodding, Gordon took his previous seat in his chair. "Yeah it has…Can you believe it's been almost three weeks now?"

Still keeping his averted gaze towards the ground, John clenched his jaw and shook his head. "No, I can't." The two then fell into a morbid silence.

After a few minutes, John finally asked, "Well, ready to go to bed yet?"

Blinking as though he'd been awoken from a trance, Gordon nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah…But first…" Getting up silently, Gordon walked over to one of the infirmary beds' side. Lying silent and pale under the white sheets laid his only younger brother, his once-handsome features hidden by multiple wires and a breathing tube. Taking Alan's hand, Gordon gave it a gentle squeeze. "Night, Sprout. Hope to see you awake in the morning…" Then he turned to Scott, who lay in the bed just to the left of Alan's. Just like Alan, multiple wires and a breathing tube covered his face and arms. Taking Scott's hand, he squeezed it gently also. "You too, Scotty, we need you both here..."

Biting his lip, Gordon didn't want to leave, in the hopes that perhaps they would both wake up, and tell him they would both be ok. But they continued to lie silent, the only noise in the room coming from their ventilators and their heart monitors. Finally, John put a hand on Gordon's shoulder, and they both silently turned and left.

* * *

The next morning, Gordon felt just as exhausted as he had the night before. However, once he'd woken up, he couldn't fall back to sleep, so instead he trudged to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. It seemed no one was up yet- it was only the pale hour of 6- so he decided to check on Alan and Scott. 

Yawning widely as he walked into the infirmary, Gordon was suddenly startled by a noise he didn't recognize. Quickening his pace, he ran around the side of Alan's curtain to find his younger brother to be still just as silent as ever. However, going around Scott's bed curtain, he was shocked to see Scott's eyes clenched shut as he obviously struggled to breathe. Stunned, Gordon let his cup of coffee slip from his hand and it shattered to the floor. Running to the intercom, Gordon yelped, "Brains! Someone! I need help in the infirmary!"

Just a few moments later, Brains and the rest of the Tracy family came rushing in, some seeming more awake than others. Luckily, Brains seemed to be the most alert as he rushed directly to Scott's side.

"O-o-ok, Scott, c-can you hear m-me?" he stuttered urgently, taking hold of Scott's shaking shoulder. Scott looked up at him unfocusedly, though Brains could see it as a sign Scott had indeed heard him. "Ok Scott, I-I-I need you t-to calm down. I-I'll take the breathing t-t-tube out on the count of th-three. When I get to three, c-cough as hard as you c-c-can, ok?" Scott seemed to understand, as his struggling calmed a bit.

"O-ok. One…"

The rest of the family tensed. Would he be able to breathe on his own? Would he be able to stay awake now?

"Two…"

Virgil and Gordon clenched their eyes. John put a hand on his father's shoulder. They all held their breaths.

"Three!"

Scott tried to cough, though it came out very weakly. However, Brains was still able to swiftly remove the breathing tube, and Scott took in a deep breath. Suddenly, he was surrounded by his brothers and father, and he gave a tired smile. "H-Hey guys," he whispered, his voice and lungs still not strong enough. "What…what did I miss?"

The others didn't smile as he'd expected, though seemed to wince slightly.

"Let's just say…a lot," Virgil offered unsurely.

Frowning slightly, Scott looked around and noticed a face missing. "Where's…Alan?" he continued to whisper through breaths.

This time, the others exchanged worried glances, and seemed to refuse to meet his eyes. With this, Scott began to panic.

"Oh God…Alan…" he whispered frantically. "What…What happened? Where is he? Did he…" His eyes widened, and he looked away. The last thing he remembered was Sattler pointing a gun at them, then _two _shots…"Oh God…"

"No, no, Scott, he's alive," Jeff reassured. "He's just…" Jeff lowered his head, having to clench his jaw to hold back his overwhelming emotions.

Scott waited for someone to continue, but the long pause continued. Finally, he asked quietly, "He's what..?"

"He's in a coma, just like you were…" Gordon finally finished. Stepping aside, he pulled away the curtain that was between his bed and Alan's, and Scott's eyes widened at Alan's frail appearance. "He was shot in his left shoulder, just next to his heart. Luckily his heart didn't sustain any damage, but a major artery was hit…And you…" Gordon continued, obviously wishing he didn't have to be the one to tell this to his oldest brother. "You were shot in the chest. The bullet pierced your lung and just barely grazed your aorta. You were really lucky too…"

"Oh, Sprout…" Scott whispered, attempting to sit up. His attention had stopped when Gordon began talking about him, and all he could focus on was Alan. However, he was suddenly pushed back down by a strong pair of hands.

"Oh no you don't," Jeff said sternly. "You have to rest. You're nowhere near well enough to even think about getting up."

"But," Scott said weakly, wanting to get to his brother.

"No, Scott," Jeff insisted. "You have to rest now."

Sighing, Scott gave in and fell back onto his pillow. "Fine," he said resignedly. He received multiple hugs and welcome-backs until Jeff finally ushered everyone out. Once Brains ran a few minor tests, Scott then settled farther into his pillow and reluctantly let sleep wash over him.


	7. Borderline

"Scott?" Alan called through the darkness, stumbling blindly as he searched for any signs of life. However, only his own voice penetrated the never-ending darkness, and Alan felt the cold emptiness of being alone. "Scott?" He called again, his voice cracking with fear and exhaustion. He had no memory of where he was, how he got there, anything. All he knew was that the thought of seeing Scott's face was comforting, and he needed to see it again. Something told him he _needed_ to see Scott.

_Alan…_Sattler's voice suddenly cut through the darkness, taunting him.

Alan's eyes widened and he let out a quick yell, stumbling backwards in fear. "No…" he muttered. Suddenly, Alan began to remember bits and pieces of what'd happened. He remembered running…then seeing Scott…then…

"Oh God…" Alan whispered. He also remembered the two shots being fired, and Scott falling to the ground with him. "Scott," Alan murmured, horrified, assuming the worst. "No…"

_Alan…_the voice taunted again. _Scott's _dead_ Alan…you_ killed_ him…_

"No! It can't be true!" Alan screamed, covering his ears, and clenching his eyes shut. "I won't believe you! I won't-!"

_But it's true, Alan…you see?_

Wearily, Alan opened his eyes and looked upwards. But immediately he wished he hadn't. He could see Scott lying pale and motionless in a casket, his brothers and father standing around him, mourning.

"No…no…NO!" Alan exclaimed, covering his ears and shutting his eyes once more, backing away from the image. "No! Leave me alone!" However, the voice remained.

_You killed him Alan…he died because of you!_

"Please, stop…" Alan whimpered, his voice barely audible. A few stray tears fell down his face. "Please…not Scott…"

_Alan…_A new voice called, with a much softer tone. Alan didn't dare look up, fearful that it was just another trick. When he felt a hand touch his shoulder, he flinched. But when he reluctantly glanced upwards, he saw the soft face of his mother looking back at him, and the darkness replaced with a pure, warm light.

"M-Mom?" he whispered, completely startled.

The woman smiled warmly at the name and placed her hand onto his face, brushing away his tears with her thumb. "Hi, Allie."

Alan stared up at her, wide-eyed. Was this another trick? "Mom?" he repeated. "But…how-?"

The woman smiled even more. "Allie, do you remember when you were little, and we had that bad storm, and you wanted to sleep with your father and me?"

Thinking for a moment, Alan found that he faintly did remember that night from so many years ago. "Yeah, you sang to me 'til I fell asleep, and you made sure to keep your arm around me…"

"And do you remember what I told you that night?"

Again, Alan had to think about it for a moment, but remembered. "You said…You said you'd be there for me through the worst storms, no matter what…" Alan felt a wave of sadness at the memory.

"You don't think I'd ever go back on a promise like that, do you?" She said warmly, standing up, then extending a hand to Alan, which he gladly took and stood before her.

And for a moment that's all he could do. His mother, who he mostly remembered from pictures and old stories from his brothers, whom he dearly missed for most of his life, was standing in front of him, the same warm smile he'd seen in every one of her pictures. Finally, he broke down and collapsed into sobs in her arms. To hell with acting like an adult. For once in so many years, he had his mother to hold.

"Shh, it's ok, Alan," she soothed, rubbing circles on his back. "I've got you, it's ok…"

After a few moments, Alan calmed down and backed up, wiping his tears. Looking up at his mother, he suddenly asked, "Mom…Am I…dead?" He swallowed. Did he want to know the answer?

The smile on his mother's face lowered, and she diverted her gaze to the ground. "Well," she said unsurely. "Yes, and no…You see, you're no longer in your body, yet you are still connected. Right now…you're on the border between life and death…"

Alan's eyes widened and, startled, fell back into a sitting position on the ground. "So…what does that mean? How long will I…be like this?"

His mother's eyes rose slightly to meet his, though hers shone with sympathy. "You may choose. It depends on where you want to go. You may either choose to stay on Earth and live on…or you may choose to pass on." Her eyes seemed to droop with sadness as she said the latter choice.

Alan swallowed again. He obviously knew which way he wanted to go, but then a sudden thought stopped him.

"Alan?" Lucy asked, seeing the frown crease on his forehead. "What's wrong?"

Alan stayed quiet for a moment, obviously in deep thought. Then, lowering his eyes, he quietly said, "I can't go back."

Lucy's eyes widened considerably. "What? But Alan-,"

"I can't," he repeated a little more forcefully. "I can't…not after…not after Scott died…"

"What?" Lucy asked, confused. "Honey, Scott's not dead."

It was Alan's turn to be confused. "What? But I saw…I saw his casket, and him lying there…"

"Alan, honey, that wasn't real. Because you're body and mind are at such turmoil, one of your worst fears came out in the middle of the whole thing. None of that was true."

"So…" Alan murmured, trying to let it all sink in, "Scott's not dead? He's ok?" Alan let out a sigh, and felt new tears prick his eyes, though none fell. However, he frowned once more. "But…I still can't go back. I bet they all think I'm nothing but a nuisance, after everything I've caused…"

Lucy frowned as well, though out of pity. "Alan, that is absolutely not true, and you know that. Your brothers and father love you so much. Why do you think they came for you?"

"No, it is true! They probably came because they didn't want to have the publicity and everything smearing International Rescue's name. I bet they'd all just be better off if I went ahead and died." Alan fought back more tears.

"Well, if you don't believe me, let me show you," Lucy said determinedly. "Careful, though," she warned, taking Alan's hand and pulling him up so he stood next to her. "You only have so much time to choose before your body begins to shut down, so we must hurry."

Alan frowned in confusion as he stood next to his mother. "But, what are you-,"

"Just watch," she said somberly, closing her eyes in focus. Suddenly, everything around them changed, and they found themselves in the Tracy family room. Gordon and Virgil sat on the couch while Jeff and John sat across from them in respective chairs. All four men looked worn and tired.

"I never really liked him," Virgil commented sourly. "He was as dumb as a sack of bricks."

Alan looked shocked. Were they talking about him? He looked to his mother who said nothing, but motioned for Alan to keep listening. Reluctantly, he did.

"Me either," Gordon said distractedly. "He was nothing but useless."

Alan cringed as though he'd been slapped across the face. They _were_ talking about him. He turned to leave- to where, he didn't know, just anywhere else- but was stopped by a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Just wait," his mother whispered. He sighed, almost deciding to keep walking. But a gentle squeeze from his mother told him he had to wait and listen. Why he had to was beyond him.

"I know what you mean," Virgil replied to Gordon, oblivious that the youngest Tracy could hear them. "He did nothing but sleep and destroy our stuff."

"Would you two _please_ stop talking about that damn dog?" John snapped suddenly, looking as though he'd finally reached the end of his rope

Alan wasn't sure what to think. Did John just call him a _dog?_

"What, you actually liked Sparky?" Virgil asked sarcastically, though his voice held no amusement.

That's when Alan finally realized why his mother had asked him to stay- they weren't talking about him, but an old dachshund puppy named Sparky they had when they were all younger. Of course, they'd only kept him about a month, for even Jeff couldn't stand it after a while. More than once someone's shoe or a beloved toy would go missing, only to be found a few hours later- torn to shreds and covered in dog spit. Alan chuckled slightly at the memory, and at the fact that he'd mistaken his brothers' conversation to be about him. He turned serious, however, as he felt the tension growing in the room.

"Of course not, who did?" John said plainly. "But I'm tired of you two babbling about that stupid thing!"

"John!" Jeff said reproachfully, though none of the other three paid him any attention.

"So, what," Gordon snapped, joining in. "You just want us to sit here in silence, doing nothing?"

"No!" John yelled, frustrated. "I don't know, just-,"

"Just what?" Gordon cut him off. "John, I can't just sit here doing nothing! Then I start thinking…" He paused, taking a shaky breath, his voice calming. "I start thinking about Alan. And I just can't, John…it just hurts too bad right now…" Gordon lowered his eyes and clenched his fists. Virgil put a gentle hand on Gordon's shoulder as he shuddered, and John had a sudden look of guilt on his face. Keeping his gaze lowered, Gordon continued, "What if…what if he doesn't..."

"Don't think like that, Gordy," John suddenly said calmly, sighing as he stood and walked over, setting his hand on Gordon's other shoulder. As Gordon looked up at him, John gave a weak smile. "He'll come back. He's like a cat- has more lives than you can count."

Gordon smiled slightly back at John, but lowered his gaze again. "I know, but…what if-,"

"What if I become the queen of Switzerland and have tea with Santa and the Easter bunny," Virgil commented with a hint of amusement. "Gordy, John's right. Don't mourn what hasn't even happened. We have to stay positive if we're going to make it through this."

Gordon was silent for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, I suppose…"

"Well," Virgil offered, "How about I go make us some hot chocolate…that might help." The others nodded and Virgil walked away. John returned to his seat, and the room fell back into a thick silence. The only sound that came was a stricken Jeff's heavy sighs. It was going to take a hell of a lot to get everyone through this, even if Alan did make it.

"Come on," Lucy said quietly to Alan, holding out her hand. At first, Alan wanted to stay and tell them that he was ok, though he knew they wouldn't be able to hear him. Reluctantly, he turned and took his mother's hand. Suddenly, their surroundings changed again, and they ended up in the island infirmary.

Letting go of his mother's hand, Alan stepped forward, not believing his eyes. There, just a few feet in front of him in an infirmary bed, was his own body. "Th-that…" he stuttered, "That's me…" He shuddered at how sickly he looked, his skin pale and taut over his frame. A breathing tube protruded from his mouth, and a heart monitor beeped steadily next to him.

Next to Alan, in another infirmary cot, Scott sat looking just as pale and worn, though he was awake. He sat staring sadly at his youngest brother's form, hoping for some sort of change. Alan was startled at how emaciated and exhausted he looked.

"Scott?" he asked quietly, taking another step forward.

"He can't hear you sweetie," Lucy reminded him sadly, not walking any closer.

"Why does he look so sick?" Alan asked over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off of Scott.

"He was shot in the shoulder the same night you were…And he's been looking over you since he woke up, six days ago. He's hardly eaten or slept at all since. He's been so worried about you…"

Just then, Scott began to sit up, cringing visibly from his injury, and hardly being able to hold himself up from exhaustion. But he kept going and made his way to Alan's bedside, settling into a large chair. Taking a pale hand, he lifted it to Alan's cheek, careful not to touch Alan's breathing tube. As he did so, the Alan with Lucy could feel the gentle touch, and put his hand to where he could feel it.

"Oh God, Alan," Scott murmured, stroking his brother's cheek, then hair. "I'm so sorry…I let you down…I let you get hurt…" Scott quickly ducked his head and wiped his eyes, startling Alan. When was the last time Scott had cried? Alan couldn't even remember.

"Alan," Scott continued, his voice cracking. "Alan, please…you have to come back. We need you so much. Hell, _I_ need you, Alan…You're my baby brother. I…I don't know what I'd do without you here…" He paused to take a shaky breath. "After Mom died, I didn't know if I'd make it…but taking care of you gave me a purpose, a reason for living. And even after you began to grow up, I've always felt like I need to take care of you…but…looking back, I wish I could've been more of a brother than a father to you..." He paused again. "Alan, give me that chance to be your brother, to actually spend time with you…Please, Allie, come back…"

"That's enough," Alan suddenly said quietly, turning to his mother. "I'm ready to go."

Lucy smiled unsurely, though she knew where Alan would probably go. Walking up to him, she embraced him in a warm hug. "Whichever way you choose, Alan, don't forget I'm always with you."

Alan nodded, letting a single tear fall from his eye. "I know…Love you, Mom."

Lucy smiled. "Love you too Allie."

Then, both of them were engulfed in a white light.

* * *

**Well, Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays everyone! Hope you liked it, it's the longest chapter I've written in a loooong time! But I also have a couple more chapters for my other stories in progress, so it shouldn't take TOO long...Anywho, show the love, leave reviews. They're always so nice...most of the time. haha jk. Luv ya all!**

**Megz**


	8. Allie

**Hey guys, I'm reeeeaaaaally sorry this took so long. I won't bore you with a list, but as usual, life has its ways of knockin ya down. Trick is, you gotta get back up, and that's what I'm tryin to do. :)**

**Thank you soooooo much to everyone who's stuck with my stories through thick and thin, and extremely long waiting periods lol I really, honestly appreciate you guys. :)**

**And thanks so much to my beta criminally charmed, who's taken time out of her hectic life to correct this for me. CC, you're amazing :)**

* * *

"_I wanna go see the bolar bears!" a four year-old Alan chirped eagerly, bouncing until he needed to stop for a quick rest, and then starting up again. 14 year-old Scott, holding Alan's hand, amusedly wondered if he'd eventually pass out from excitement. But this was his first trip to the zoo, after all. Unfortunately none of the others could make it, with Jeff at Gordon's doctor appointment and Virgil at his piano practice. John was just simply too lazy to tag along. _

"_They're called _polar_ bears, Allie," Scott corrected with a chuckle as they walked towards the front gates. "'Cause they live by the north pole."_

_Alan looked up suddenly in awe, his eyes as bright as the sun. "Really?" he asked excitedly. "Do they get to see Santa?"_

_Scott had to laugh, despite the quizzical look he was shot by his young brother. "I'm sure they do. They help him all the time."_

_Alan's puzzled look changed to that of excitement. "Wow! That's so cool! Can we go see them now?" Again, he began his bouncing._

"_Oh yeah," Scott said enthusiastically. "Don't forget the lions, and the elephants, and all the other animals! Just let me get the tickets and we can go in."_

_Alan bounced happily a few more times, clapping his hands. But a crying boy with a newly scraped knee next to him suddenly stopped his celebration. Looking on in curiosity, he watched as the boy's mother picked him up and held him, kissing his cheek and trying to soothe him. Once the boy had calmed down enough, she began to tickle him and laughed as he happily squirmed away. Alan felt a twinge of sadness, but quickly pushed it away as his brother took his hand and led him into the park._

_Over two hours had passed before either of them knew it, and Scott could see Alan was getting tired. Thinking, he asked, "Hey Allie, wanna stop for a little while and get some ice cream?"_

_For the thousandth time that day, Alan's eyes lit up. "Yeah! Can I have chocolate?" _

"_Hey, I wanted chocolate!" Scott jokingly pouted. _

"_Well I called it!" Alan giggled. "Race ya there!" _

_Before Scott could react, Alan pulled his hand from his grip and bolted towards the ice cream stand, darting in between the crowd. However, when he looked back to see how far behind Scott was, he suddenly struck someone, and both fell to the ground. _

"_Hey, watch it!" an older boy cried as he shoved Alan off of him. Scott came running up, and immediately scowled. He knew this boy, and hadn't liked his past experiences with him. _

"_I'm sorry…" Alan said quietly, getting up and rushing to Scott's side, clinging to his brother's arm ashamedly._

"_You're damn right you-," the boy began to yell, though he stopped when he noticed who Alan was hanging on to. "Oh, it's you, Tracy."_

"_Drew," Scott stated simply. "Just lay off my brother. He didn't mean anything."_

"_Oh, I should've known that little brat was your brother," Drew smirked at Scott. Glancing down at Alan, he noticed the growing tears in the young boy's eyes. "Oh please, save me the tears. Why don't you go crying to your momm- oh, that's right." His sneer grew and he scoffed. _

_Pulling away from Alan, Scott shoved Drew in the chest roughly. "Dude, what's your problem? He's _four_!" _

"_It's not my fault he's such a little baby," Drew said, in a mixed tone between defensive and joking. _

_Scott felt he was ready to pummel the boy's face in when he heard a choked sob from behind him. Quickly looking back, he saw Alan turn and dart in the opposite direction. Sending one last glare to Drew, Scott took off after his brother, and after a few minutes of searching, found him crouching behind a garbage can, curled in a ball and his face hidden under his arms._

"_Hey Allie," Scott said quietly, "Why don't you come out from back here?" However, Alan stayed silent and turned away. _

"_Come on, it's way dirty back here," he coaxed. But instead of waiting for a reply, he gently grabbed Alan under his arms and lifted him up. Scott expected Alan to struggle or hit him, but was surprised when Alan clung tightly to his neck and sobbed quietly. Scott hugged him closely, then walked over and set him on a nearby bench. Alan continued to cry, so Scott wiped the tears off his face. _

"_It's okay, Allie," Scott tried to comfort. "That jerk didn't mean a word he said. He was just being mean."_

_Sniffling, Alan looked up as tears continued to drench his chubby cheeks. "B-But he said…Scottie, why can't we have a momma?"_

_Scott was taken aback, and swallowed hard. "Umm, Allie…" he tried to begin, stumbling over his words. Looking downwards, he had to pause, but looked Alan in the eye again. "Allie…we do have a mom, that loves us very much. She just…she just had to go away to heaven."_

"_But why Scottie?" Alan nearly screamed as he released another sob. "Why does momma have to be there? I want her here!" _

"_I know, sprout," Scott sighed. "We all do…but sometimes people just have to leave…"_

_Alan looked downwards, in frustration and misery. Scott felt guilty that his brother had to go through this already, though he knew it would have had to happen anyway. _

"_But guess what, Allie? Mom _is_ here with us right now," he said encouragingly, putting his hand on Alan's shoulder, though Alan looked up at him confused. "Even though we can't see her, she promised she'd always be with us. Mom would never break a promise." He smiled, and Alan began to stop crying, wiping away his tears with his arm. _

"_I still miss her," Alan said quietly, looking downwards again. _

_Scott smiled sadly, and squeezed Alan's shoulder. "I know, I do too…but just because we can't feel her with our hands doesn't mean we can't feel the love she still has for us."_

_Alan looked up again, and Scott was grateful to see a tiny smile beginning to grow. Alan's tiny arms flung around Scott's neck, holding on to his brother just as tightly as Scott did to him._

"_Thanks Scottie…" Alan said quietly. "I love you…"_

* * *

Scott suddenly woke with a jolt, blinking his eyes in an effort to clear them. Looking around, he found himself where he had every night for the past few days since he'd woken up- next to Alan's bed in an uncomfortable plastic chair, his hand wrapped tightly around his brother's.

Shifting slightly, he looked around for any reason for his sudden waking, but found nothing. Then a sudden thought struck him- maybe Alan had moved? It was possible, at least…

Moving closer so he could stroke Alan's hair, he softly asked, "Alan? Alan, are you awake?" His voice was cracked and dry, and he could barely get it above a soft tone, though he pushed it to be louder. "Alan, come on Sprout…won't you wake up?" However, his brother just kept the same, unmoving and pale as a ghost. If it weren't for the slight movements of his breathing, he would have thought…

Sighing, Scott pushed away the thought and settled back into the chair, quietly mumbling a few choice words. _We have a billionaire father and live on our own private island, and we can't get better infirmary chairs?_

But he knew the chair was just a bother that rubbed salt in an even bigger wound. He'd hardly slept much at all since he'd woken up and found Alan still in a coma. And every moment of sleep he did get was filled with either painful memories or nightmares. Life had simply been hell without Alan.

A long time ago Scott had recognized something between him and his brothers, something shared not even by their father. There's a certain bond that no one can ever really explain between brothers, an unspoken pact of sorts, one where no brother is left behind. The love of a brother reaches beyond anything. Yet its beginning is hardly seen or felt. Sometimes it starts the day one learns to walk as the other helps hold balance. Other times it's helping open gifts on their very first Christmas. No matter where it starts, it grows with every moment, every smile, every tear. And it lasts forever.

But life doesn't.

And as the days rolled by, Scott wondered how long Alan's would last, and if he'd get to see Alan's shining blue eyes again. Settling his head back against the bed, Scott squeezed Alan's hand. And as he stared at the ever-closed eyes of his brother, he kept hearing the small voice from so many years ago.

"_Thanks Scottie…I love you…"_


End file.
